PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Castor Rollins (ranked 734 p4p, 99 weight class) and Yuri Loel (ranked 1075 p4p, 133 weight class). The crowd seem to be enjoying Loel's choice of entrance music: Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life. These two fighters really are very evenly matched on the feet - it will be fascinating to see who can assert themselves in that aspect of the fight.

Rollins
vs
Loel

188 cm
40
187 lbs
38 - 21 - 0

180 cm
30
187 lbs
15 - 7 - 0

Good wrestling
World class boxer
Granite chin

Good wrestler
World class MT
Good gas tank

Sportivité

Sportivité
THE END 32

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 38 - 21 - 0, fighting out of Montreal, Castor Rollins!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 15 - 7 - 0, fighting out of New York, Yuri Loel!
The judges for this bout are Alec Ball, Trevor Gratis and Elvis Blanc.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Loel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rollins moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Loel looks to score with a jab to the body but Rollins is just out of range.
Rollins swings for the body but Loel moves out of range.
Loel tries to clinch up against the cage, rushing in to close the distance. Rollins manages to break the clinch and circles back to the middle of the mat.
Rollins throws an overhand right that lands on Loel's shoulder, as Loel tries to avoid the shot.
Loel connects with a body shot.
Rollins dodges the punch combination from Loel.
Rollins appears to be looking for a counter takedown.
Rollins avoids a lazy jab quite easily.
We've been informed that Loel has been sparring a lot of Muay Thai in the buildup to this fight so let's see if that has an impact on the result.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Loel throws an uppercut from half a mile away. Rollins sees it coming and avoids it easily.
Rollins tries to shoot in for a takedown. He's got hold of a leg but Loel swivels and escapes.
Rollins looks to land a combination but Loel avoids it well.
Horrible takedown attempt by Rollins or perhaps it was just good defense by Loel, which made it look bad.
Loel lets it all go there with a big combo counter but none of the punches connected.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loel uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Rollins.

Loel closes the distance and presses his opponent up against the cage.
Loel lands a left hand that snaps the head of Rollins backwards.

Loel breaks from the clinch.
Loel throws a series of punches but Rollins avoids them all with ease.
A slow jab from Loel misses its intended target.
Rollins fakes a head shot and lands one to the body.
Loel stuffs the takedown attempt from Rollins. Rollins gets slowly back to his feet.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Castor Rollins. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Loel misses with a looping right.
Rollins fails to land the takedown.
A punch combination from Loel misses.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Rollins shoots in for a takedown - he's clinched up with Loel but Loel pushes him off and we're back to square one.
Rollins goes for a double leg but Loel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Loel continues to drive forward.
Yuri Loel is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.
Rollins throws a left and a right that both miss
and Loel counters with an inside leg kick.
A looping hook to the body misses from Rollins. Loel does a little dance to reset his feet.
Loel looked like he wanted to counter with a punch but didn't throw it.
Rollins scores with a big left there. The judges will like that one.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Loel jabbing away but nothing is landing.
Loel scores with a sloppy right hand. Rollins should have avoided that one.
Rollins misses the shot to the body.
Rollins shoots in but doesn't get the takedown
and Loel counters with a straight right hand.
Rollins uses some good footwork to avoid the body shot by Loel.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loel steps to the side to avoid the strikes from Rollins.
Loel walks forward and throws out a flicking leg kick. Rollins checks it nicely though, as he moves to the side.
Loel ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Rollins moves away.
Yuri Loel seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Loel takes a shot right to the bread basket.
Loel misses with an uppercut. Rollins saw that one coming.

Rollins looking for a takedown here - he's got it.
Rollins is fighting to break Loel's control of his arms but Loel is doing a good job of controlling the position at the moment.

Loel is working actively off his back, looking to secure an arm or perhaps work for a triangle.
Loel managing to control the position.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Loel looking to hit a scissor sweep but Rollins is one step ahead there.
Loel wants to get back to his feet but he's too absorbed in his own little project and Rollins manages to pass to side control.
Loel wants to control but Rollins is keeping busy.
Rollins prevents Loel from improving his position.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Loel dominated that round.
The fighters get back to their feet, the hooter sounds and we're back to the action!

Loel throws a series of punches but Rollins avoids them all with ease.
A telegraphed right hand from Rollins misses the target.
Rollins avoids a punch combination nicely.
Rollins attempts a counter takedown but Loel avoids it well and moves away.
Loel has been the more effective fighter overall so far.
Loel throws a right and a left that both miss.

Rollins is looking for a takedown here. He's shot in and has managed to get it, finishing up in Loel's half guard.
Loel tries to get to full guard but Rollins has control of the leg.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.
Rollins not doing much here.
Loel is looking for a sweep. Rollins is wise to his cunning plan and keeps the top position.

That's one minute gone in the round.
The fighters are starting to get a bit slippery now, which will make submissions a bit more difficult.
Loel is looking to get full guard. It looks like he might be successful but at the last minute Rollins jumps into side control!
Loel is letting Rollins control him for a moment.
Loel wants to control but Rollins postures up.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
My god... these two guys really need to pick up the pace or everyone will leave to go get a beer.
Loel wants to get back to his feet.
You can see the frustration on Loel's face, being in this tough position on the bottom.
Loel is looking for a sweep.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loel is sneaking out the side here. He's bucked Rollins off and has taken his back!
Loel is trying to control but Rollins is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.

Loel stands up from the dominant position, so we're back on the feet.
Yuri Loel seems to be getting the better of the standup.
Rollins goes for a double leg but Loel avoids the attempt and the two fighters end up clinched against the cage as Loel continues to drive forward.
Rollins uses decent footwork to sidestep a right hand from Loel.
Rollins misses with a jab, cross combination.
Rollins misses with a hook
enabling Loel to counter with a crisp jab.
Rollins ducks under a wild hook from Loel.
Rollins with a lazy takedown attempt
and Loel cracks him with a counter punch right on the button.
Rollins keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Loel.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rollins swings wildly with a right hand that was never going to find it's target.
Rollins lands a nice shot that snaps Loel's head back.
Loel throws a head kick that misses and slips in the process. He scrambles back to his feet and the fighters circle.
Rollins drops down looking for a counter takedown but Loel sprawls and moves away.
The crowd are loving this. Great action here.
Rollins moves out of range as Loel strikes.
Loel lands a head shot.
Loel goes for a spinning back kick but it misses.
Rollins throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Loel looks to land a left hand but Rollins moved out of range nicely.
Loel looks to land a left hand but Rollins moved out of range nicely.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rollins misses with a wild body shot.
Loel throws the kick towards the body but Rollins avoids it.
Rollins attempts a counter takedown but Loel avoids it well and moves away.
Rollins keeping his hands up high there, blocking the jab from Loel.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Yuri Loel showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the round. The referee orders the cornermen out of the cage so we can get back down to business. This is the final round!

Rollins looks to land a combination. Loel sees it coming but can only parry a couple of the shots.

It looks like Yuri Loel has been cut.
Rollins shoots in for a double leg but Loel sprawls well. That's going to sap some energy.
Loel is looking for the big counter here.
Loel rushes forward with a series of wild hooks but Rollins moves out of range and avoids them all easily.
Rollins displays some good footwork, moving neatly out of range as Loel throws out the jab.
Rollins avoids the body shot from Loel.
Rollins uses good head movement to avoid the hook from Loel.
Rollins misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Loel.
Oooooooooooh, not good. A low kick from Loel lands where it shouldn't have, right in the... well, you know what he did? He kicked him in the penis. He's injured, injured bad. The referee sends both fighters to their corners and Rollins has 5 minutes to recover. He's OK now though... a thumbs up from Rollins and we're back underway with a touch of gloves.
We've had a slow start to the round here - hopefully the action picks up.

Rollins closes the distance and gets a trip takedown into side control. Loel quickly recovers to half guard.
Rollins is just sitting in half guard, waiting for something to happen.
Loel is trying to get back to full guard.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Loel is working for an escape here. He's hooked one of Rollins's legs and he's managed to sneak out and take Rollins's back!
Loel biding his time, looking for the opening.
Yuri Loel has got the better of the ground game so far.
Loel keeps control of the position as Rollins tries to break free.
I would not like to be Rollins right now.
Castor Rollins has stepped it up - he knows he needs a finish here!

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Loel trying desperately to keep hold of the dominant position.
Loel is trying to control but Rollins is trying to escape here - he's now mounted.
Loel looking to control but Rollins is working nicely, looking to advance position himself.
Loel controlling his opponent.
Loel trying to control but Rollins is having none of it.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Loel is in a good position here but he's just trying to control... And he's not even managing to do that successfully.
Loel controlling the pace for now.

Loel is standing up, even though he is in mount.
Loel leaves Rollins with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
Yuri Loel is fighting for a decision - hopefully he's judged it right and he's actually winning the fight.

Loel has closed the distance and engaged Rollins in a clinch.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Rollins misses with a short punch on the inside.
Loel digs a right hand underneath Rollins's ribcage. Rollins let out a lung full of air as it connected.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Loel lands a hook to the body. It's hard to tell if that hurt Rollins or not.
Loel is working Rollins over against the cage.
Loel lands with a short punch from the clinch.
Loel misses with a body punch.
Loel lands a nice looking hook to the body, against the cage.
Loel lands with a good tight uppercut to the head.
Loel tries to land a shot to the body but it's blocked.
Loel throws a knee to the head but misses.
The crowd thankful this round is nearly over.
Rollins can't find room to land a body shot as Loel controls the action.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Loel.
A head punch blocked on the inside by Loel.

And that's the end of the fight!
Yuri Loel comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
Well Loel has outworked and out performed his opponent in all aspects of the game today. He was simply too good and the decision should be no more than a formality. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Alec Ball scores the fight 27:30
Judge Trevor Gratis scores the fight 27:30
Judge Elvis Blanc scores the fight 27:30

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Yuri Loel!
A relieved looking Yuri Loel thanked the fans for their support and gave the usual line about them being amazing. They seemed to believe that he actually meant it.